What to know about Daytona Duels, the qualifying races for the Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Single lap runs by single cars are one thing … It’s time to go racing, for real, now.

That’s right, Daytona 500 qualifying, which went down on Wednesday night, may have been the first session with cars on the track at Daytona International Speedway this week, but on Thursday night, beating, banging and bump drafting will commence.

It will come in the form of two 150-mile qualifying races, known now as the BlueGreen Vacation Duel at Daytona. Of course, throughout history they’ve been referred to as many things, namely the ‘Twin 125s’.

Thursday night is unique only to Speedweeks with the Duels serving as the only qualifying races in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season.

So, what is the Duel? How does it work?

We’re so glad you asked. Here’s everything you need to know about the Duel at Daytona:

When are the Daytona Duels tonight?

The first of two Duel races is set for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday night with the second beginning after the first’s conclusion. The estimated start time of Duel 2 is 8:45.

How many laps are the Daytona Duels?

The two races are scheduled for 60 laps apiece.

How to watch the Duels at Daytona on TV

Both BlueGreen Vacation Duel at Daytona races will air on FS1 (Fox Sports 1).

How do the Daytona Duel races work?

Wednesday’s single-car qualifying runs determined only the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Joey Logano won the pole, and Michael McDowell finished second and will start beside him on the front row.

The rest of the field will be set during the Duels. The drivers who posted qualifying times in the odd-numbered positions will run in one race with the even-numbered times participating in the other. The finishing order of the two races will determine the starting order in the two rows for Sunday’s Great American Race.

Daytona Duels lineup

Race 1

Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
JJ Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet

Race 2

Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
David Ragan, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
BJ McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
Kaz Grala, No. 76 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Daytona Duel winners by year

1959: Bob Welborn, No. 49 Chevrolet; Shorty Rollins, No. 99 Ford
1960: Fireball Roberts, No. 22 Pontiac; Jack Smith, No. 47 Pontiac
1961: Fireball Roberts, No. 22 Pontiac; Joe Weatherly, No. 8 Pontiac
1962: Fireball Roberts, No. 22 Pontiac; Joe Weatherly, No. 8 Pontiac
1963: Junior Johnson, No. 3 Chevrolet; Johnny Rutherford, No. 13 Chevrolet
1964: Junior Johnson, No. 3 Dodge; Bobby Isaac, No. 26 Dodge
1965: Darel Dieringer, No. 16 Mercury; Junior Johnson, No. 27 Ford
1966: Paul Goldsmith, No. 99 Plymouth; Earl Balmer, No. 3 Dodge
1967: LeeRoy Yarborugh, No. 12 Dodge; Fred Lorenzen, No. 28 Ford
1968: Duels canceled due to rain
1969: David Pearson, No. 17 Ford; Bobby Isaac, No. 71 Dodge
1970: Cale Yarborough, No. 21 Mercury; Charlie Glotzbach, No. 99 Dodge
1971: Pete Hamilton, No. 6 Plymouth; David Pearson, No. 17 Mercury
1972: Bobby Isaac, No. 71 Dodge; Bobby Allison, No. 12 Chevrolet
1973: Buddy Baker, No. 71 Dodge; Coo Coo Marlin, No. 14 Chevrolet
1974: Bobby Isaac, No. 27 Chevrolet; Cale Yarborough, No. 11 Chevrolet
1975: Bobby Allison, No. 16 Matador; David Pearson, No. 21 Mercury
1976: Dave Marcis, No. 71 Dodge; Darrell Waltrip, No. 88 Chevrolet
1977: Richard Petty, No. 43 Dodge; Cale Yarborough, No. 11 Chevrolet
1978: A.J. Foyt, No. 51 Buick; Darrell Waltrip, No. 88 Chevrolet
1979: Buddy Baker, No. 28 Oldsmobile; Darrell Waltrip, No. 88 Oldsmobile
1980: Neil Bonnett, No. 21 Mercury; Donnie Allison, No. 1 Oldsmobile
1981: Bobby Allison, No. 28 Pontiac; Darrell Waltrip, No. 11 Buick
1982: Cale Yarborough, No. 27 Buick; Buddy Baker, No. 1 Buick
1983: Dale Earnhardt, No. 15 Ford; Neil Bonnett, No. 75 Chevrolet
1984: Cale Yarborough, No. 28 Chevrolet; Bobby Allison, No. 22 Buick
1985: Bill Elliott, No. 9 Ford; Cale Yarborough, No. 28 Ford
1986: Bill Elliott, No. 9 Ford; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1987: Ken Schrader, No. 90 Ford; Benny Parsons, No. 35 Chevrolet
1988: Bobby Allison, No. 12 Buick; Darrell Waltrip, No. 17 Chevrolet
1989: Ken Schrader, No. 25 Chevrolet; Terry Labonte, No. 11 Ford
1990: Geoffrey Bodine, No. 11 Ford; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1991: Davey Allison, No. 28 Ford; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1992: Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet; Bill Elliott, No. 11 Ford
1993: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1994: Ernie Irvan, No. 28 Ford; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1995: Sterling Marlin, No. 4 Chevrolet; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1996: Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet; Ernie Irvan, No. 28 Ford
1997: Dale Jarrett, No. 88 Ford; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1998: Sterling Marlin, No. 40 Chevrolet; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
1999: Bobby Labonte, No. 18 Pontiac; Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Chevrolet
2000: Bill Elliott, No. 94 Ford; Ricky Rudd, No. 28 Ford
2001: Sterling Marlin, No. 40 Dodge; Mike Skinner, No. 31 Chevrolet
2002: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet; Michael Waltrip, No. 15 Chevrolet
2003: Robby Gordon, No. 31 Chevrolet; Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Chevrolet
2004: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Chevrolet; Elliott Sadler, No. 38 Ford
2005: Michael Waltrip, No. 15 Chevrolet; Tony Stewart, No. 20 Chevrolet
2006: Elliott Sadler, No. 38 Ford; Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet
2007: Tony Stewart, No. 20 Chevrolet; Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet
2008: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet; Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
2009: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet; Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
2010: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet; Kasey Kahne, No. 9 Ford
2011: Kurt Busch, No. 22 Dodge; Jeff Burton, No. 31 Chevrolet
2012: Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet; Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Ford
2013: Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Chevrolet; Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
2014: Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota; Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
2015: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet; Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet
2016: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet; Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
2017: Chase Elliott, No. 24 Chevrolet; Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
2018: Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford; Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet
2019: Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Ford; Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford
2020: Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford; William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
2021: Aric Almirola, No. 10 Ford; Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet
2022: Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford; Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford
2023: Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford; Aric Almirola, No. 10 Ford

Who has won the most Duels at Daytona?

12: Dale Earnhardt
6: Cale Yarborough
5: Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4: Junior Johnson, Bobby Isaac, Bill Elliott
3: Fireball Roberts, David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Sterling Marlin, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano

Which organization has won the most Daytona Duels?

16: Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing
10: Joe Gibbs Racing
7: Robert Yates Racing, Team Penske
6: Junior Johnson & Associates
4: Holman-Moody, Bud Moore Engineering, Nord Krauskopf, DiGard Motorsports, Rainier-Lundy, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Stewart-Haas Racing

Which manufacturer has won the most Daytona Duels?

53: Chevrolet
32: Ford
11: Dodge
8: Pontiac
7: Toyota
6: Buick
5: Mercury
3: Oldsmobile
2: Plymouth